12 Best Therapy Exercises for Anxiety
Therapy Exercises for Anxiety
Hi, I'm Sanah. I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas and the owner and founder of Balanced Minds Therapy.
I specialize in helping people heal from mental health disorders that have anxiety and trauma at their core, including generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and more. Together, we identify the deeply ingrained patterns that can keep them feeling anxious, overwhelmed, and disconnected and help them find new ways of moving through the world.
While I believe therapy is the most effective way to do this, I also understand the need for tangible tools that you can use in your day-to-day life to manage anxiety. That's why I've created this list. While these activities for anxiety aren't meant to replace working with a professional, they can help supplement your healing journey.
Try these coping skills at home today to start finding relief.
12 therapy activities for anxiety
These strategies are meant to help anyone who experiences anxiety, whether you have a formal mental health diagnosis or not. But they're not only for anxiety: people with related disorders like depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and eating disorders can also benefit.
I've sorted these anxiety therapy activities by category. I recommend trying exercises from each category to give you the most well-rounded support. Try different ones to see which work best for you!
Breathing exercises for anxiety
Tapping into the power of the breath can help promote relaxation and stress reduction.
1. 4-7-8 technique
How to do it: Inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, and exhale for eight seconds. Repeat for as long as you'd like.
2. Box breathing
How to do it: Inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, and hold your breath for four seconds. Repeat until you feel a sense of calm.
3. Alternate nostril breathing
How to do it: This is a yogic breath control practice known as "nadi shodhana pranayama" in Sanskrit. Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Exhale through your nose and press the right nostril closed with the right thumb. Inhale through the left nostril then press the left nostril closed with your right ring finger. Repeat as needed.
Mind-body exercises for anxiety
Anxiety is more than a mental state—it can also come along with plenty of uncomfortable physical symptoms. Here are some ways to nurture a healthier mind-body connection.
4. Progressive muscle relaxation
How to do it: Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Starting with your toes and working your way up toward your head, squeeze and release your muscles to help relieve tension. You can also follow a script like this one.
5. Mindfulness meditation
How to do it: Sit in an alert yet relaxed position. Close your eyes and focus on your breath, or watch the light of a flickering candle to help you focus. Guided meditations are also a great option, and you can find them for free on YouTube or meditation apps like Insight Timer.
6. Nature walk
How to do it: Take a walk in nature and take special care to engage your five senses during the walk. What can you see, smell, and hear? Gentle movement can promote relaxation, and when combined with mindfulness techniques, you can experience relief from anxiety symptoms.
Thought-challenging activities for anxiety
Identifying negative thought patterns can be a great way to heal from anxiety disorders. Here are some ways you can start.
7. Journaling
How to do it: Set a timer for five or ten minutes and let your stream of consciousness flow out without spending time on grammar, sentence structure, or other details. Once the timer goes off, take some time to read what you wrote and critically reflect. What negative patterns or beliefs can you identify?
8. Cognitive distortion worksheet
How to do it: Cognitive distortions are unhelpful thought patterns that stem from negative core beliefs. To help understand yours, review this handout and see which distortions resonate with you. From here, you can begin the process of cognitive restructuring, or changing the way you think.
9. Zoom out your lens
How to do it: Many people with anxiety struggle with chronic worry, and it can be easy to get hung up on small stressors that will ultimately come to pass. Next time you're feeling overwhelmed with worry, try zooming out your lens to gain some perspective. Will this matter in a day, week, month, or year? If not, see if you can set the worry aside.
Creative exercises for anxiety
These strategies draw from the principles of art therapy, which can be used to help people heal from anxiety.
10. Collage making
How to do it: Make a collage to represent your internal experience of anxiety. Cut out pictures from magazines and glue them onto a posterboard, or make a digital collage using Pinterest or Canva.
11. Dancing
How to do it: Dancing is a way to express yourself creatively and tap into the mind-body connection. Turn on some music and allow yourself to move intuitively. This can help release anxious energy and help you feel present in the moment instead of wrapped up in worry thoughts.
12. Make a playlist
How to do it: Many people find listening to music relaxing. Make a playlist that represents how your anxiety makes you feel, or find songs with words that empower you. Play these songs whenever you need to.
In my experience as a therapist
While all of these coping skills and relaxation techniques can help with managing anxiety, they aren't a replacement for formal therapy.
I've seen firsthand how therapy can help people get to the root of their anxiety and make deep, lasting changes to improve their mental health, relationships, and overall well-being.
I use methods like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), attachment-based therapy, and interpersonal therapy to help people find the source of their anxiety rather than treating the symptoms alone. These methods, combined with the healing power of the therapeutic relationship, can help relieve anxiety in a profound way.
Get the support you need to break free from anxiety
If you're ready to get to the core of your anxiety, I'm here to help. As an anxiety therapist in Houston, I help people all over Texas increase their emotional awareness, support their mental health, and improve their relationships with themselves and others. Reach out today to get started!
I’m Sanah, LPC, NCC & I help moms reclaim their mental health.
Hello and welcome! I focus on therapy for moms who are struggling with burnout and are overwhelmed due to patterns of people-pleasing and perfectionism.
It is possible to shift these patterns and embrace all parts of yourself–even the messy ones. I provide online therapy throughout the state of Texas and online coaching nationwide. Get in touch here.